The applicants see a need for a compact, table top folder inserter which can be used in an automatic mode, or a semi-automatic mode as well as allowing the insertion of additional documents via a second insert tray. Examples of earlier proposed arrangements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,598 and U.K. Patent No. 2183214.
According to the present invention, there is provided envelope transport means for driving an envelope in an inserter apparatus, said transport means including a driven roller, an idler roller mounted for relative movement into and out of engagement with said driven roller, clamp means for clamping the envelope against movement, and actuator means for effecting engagement and disengagement of said rollers and clamping and unclamping of the clamp means, said actuator being movable between a transport position in which said rollers are engaged and said clamp means is unclamped and an insert position in which said rollers are disengaged and said clamp means is clamped.
Preferably said clamp means comprises a pair of spaced clamp fingers located upstream of said rollers and movable to clamp an envelope against a transport deck.
Preferably, guide surface means are provided downstream of the rollers to cause an envelope clamped by said clamp means to adopt a profile in which the front face (i.e. that which carries the address) is concave about a horizontal axis, thereby to assist insertion of an insert. The guide surface means may be in the form of guide rollers.